It is known to transmit information within a computer network via a so-called network proxy. A network proxy is an entity which is located within the computer network between a client system and a server system. The purpose of the network proxy is to perform specific tasks within the computer network, e.g. load-balancing by forwarding packets to the least loaded server system, or security checking by allowing access only to authenticated users, or caching or the like.
The network proxy may be software-implemented in an application layer or other layer of the computer network. As well, the network proxy may be hardware-realized in a forwarding device itself. In particular in the first case, the throughput of packets is decreased and perturbed so that a continuous media service like a video stream suffers from jitter if transmitted across a software-based network proxy. Therefore, such continuous media cannot be transmitted via a software-based network proxy without degradation of the data stream. Hardware solutions are more efficient but are less easily altered.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for transmitting data information and control information from a server to a client.
According to another aspect of the invention a network comprising a client, a server, and a network proxy is provided wherein the server is set up for transmitting to the client data information and control information, wherein the control information is transmitted from the server to the client via the network proxy, and the data information is transmitted from the server to the client not via the network proxy.
According to another aspect of the invention a network proxy is provided being adapted to receive from the server the control information, the network proxy being furthermore adapted to control a network address translator that is adapted to receive from the server data information, wherein the controlling of the network address translator has the effect that the data information is transmitted to the client not via the network proxy.